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In Nicaragua Change for
Children's projects focus on alternative health care, sustainable
agriculture, cultural education and early childhood education.
With these projects we are achieving amazing results, improving
the lives of children and strengthening communities. Nicaragua
continues to be the third poorest country in the Americas
and faces major challenges of inequity and poverty, which
affect children and women most severely. |
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CURRENT PROJECTS
Community health, women’s rights, environmental
preservation: Strengthening indigenous capacity in the Miskito rainforest
of Nicaragua:
 Nicaragua
- Environment, Health and Cultural Survival in BOSAWAS
 Known
as the “Lungs of Central America”, the BOSAWAS biosphere
reserve is the largest tract of tropical rainforest north of the
Amazon basin. Severe poverty threatens this reserve as non- indigenous
peoples encroach upon the borders of the reserve, burning down the
forest to grow their crops.
This reserve represents an area of great importance for the planet.
It is a little-studied tropical rainforest that is home to hundreds
of species of birds, plants, animals and insects that have yet to
be catalogued. The health of the Miskito and Mayangna indigenous
peoples in the region continues to be a tragedy. For this reason,
Change for Children is implementing “'Community health, women’s
rights, environmental preservation: Strengthening indigenous capacity
in the Miskito rainforest of Nicaragua” that places an emphasis
on potable water, infant & child nutrition, the cultivation
and use of natural medicines and the distribution of vitamins. It
is evident that alternative solutions and health education are urgent
and essential for the survival of these indigenous peoples. With
the survival of the Miskito and Mayangna peoples, comes the survival
of the forest in which they live. A forest that is important to
us all.
This project takes place in thirty nine communities in the Bosawas
Biosphere Reserve in northern Nicaragua and will provide accessible
and sustainable health care (with an emphasis on traditional medicine),
potable water (water system rehabilitation in several communities
and water filter distribution to every household), sanitation initiatives
(latrines and community education), community leadership capacity
building, income generation for women, nutritional improvement for
community members (through community garden and community kitchen
initiatives) and health promotion (through natural medicine cultivation
and use).
Beneficiaries of this project are indigenous peoples (Miskito &
Mayangna) who live in isolated communities in the Nicaraguan rainforest
–within the UN protected BOSAWAS Biosphere. All community
members will benefit directly from project activities such as latrine
construction, water system rehabilitation, water filter distribution
and natural medicine promotion. Women will be the direct beneficiaries
of the natural medicine cultivation project and the family garden
and community kitchen capacity building activities, but the entire
community will benefit from the results of these activities.
Three pillars of sustainability are combined in this project in
a unique and innovative way. The social standing of women will be
elevated because they are targeted specifically for training as
health promoters and community leaders. Economic benefits will be
gained by the promoters as their roles will incorporate an income
generation opportunity that will directly improve their quality
of life. Ecological health is also a key component of this project
as it is crucial that the health of the indigenous population be
assured in order to preserve this vital forest region.
The primary partner responsible for this project is the Nicaraguan
NGO Centro Humboldt, a non-profit, civil society organization whose
mission is to promote environmental protection through sustainable
development. Centro Humboldt has been working on environmental preservation
and sustainable development initiatives with Nicaraguan communities
since 1990. Centro Humboldt will work directly with ADEPCIMISUJIN,
the indigenous association that represents the Miskito and Mayangna
communities in the Reserve. The mandate of the Association is to
elevate the quality of life in the communities, to strive for the
respect of their traditions, languages and cultural identity; to
strengthen the practice of individual and collective rights, and
to try to arrange for material, economic and technical assistance.
Children's Rights Project in Esteli,
Nicaragua:
FUNARTE,
Building Self Esteem and Inspiring Creativity
In Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the Americas, threats
of gang violence and HIV/ AIDS have increased dramatically due to
the prolonged economic crisis. Many youth are faced with enormous
challenges and are deprived of basic opportunities to develop the
skills and confidence necessary to chart the direction of future
positive change.
Change for Children Association works in partnership with the Nicaraguan
organization, FUNARTE (Foundation ART!) to provide artistic and
cultural programs to children living in poverty. FUNARTE’s
goal is to offer alternative educational opportunities to boost
young peoples’ self esteem and engage them in community development.
Through creative, energetic activities, FUNARTE ensures that Nicaragua’s
youth are aware of their human rights and involved in building a
society that respects them. FUNARTE has offered responsive programming
to some of Nicaragua’s most at-risk youth since 1989. Through
muralism, leadership training, and arts -based rights education
FUNARTE’s programs empower youth to engage their communities
in recognizing and celebrating the value of youth in Nicaragua’s
future.
While FUNARTE has inspired international recognition for their groundbreaking
approach to advocacy on the human rights of children in Nicaragua,
funding from local government is practically non-existent. Change
for Children has partnered with FUNARTE to ensure that their programs
continue to empower the impoverished youth of Nicaragua.
“Seeing FUNARTE’s youth muralism workshop in action
made it so clear to me that giving these kids a chance to learn
and creatively express their rights is definitely part of the solution
towards alleviating the destructive cycle of poverty,” Sheryle
Carlson, CFCA volunteer.
Primary School Construction in Esteli, Nicaragua in conjunction
with Project HOPE:
Primary
School Construction in Esteli, Nicaragua
This project seeks to support the construction of a 2-3 classroom
primary school in the departmental capital, Esteli, of the department
of Esteli, Nicaragua. The school will be built in a poor neighbourhood
of Esteli where children currently have to leave their neighbourhood
in order to attend primary school. This project will work with Nicaraguan
partner, FUNARTE, with the support of the Nicaraguan Ministry of
Education (MINED) to build a simple, sturdy, bright school so that
children can attend school in their neighbourhood. The school should
enable approximately 200 students to attend classes (in two turns)
in their community and will meet a need identified by families in
this low-income neighbourhood.
Need
In the poor neighbourhood of Esteli where the school will be located,
children who attend primary school currently have to walk long distances
to arrive at school. As this is a neighbourhood where the majority
of families live in poverty, many children are engaged in economic
activities by necessity and the additional time lost in their travel
to and from school dissuades many parents from encouraging the education
of their children. Children from this poor neighbourhood also face
discrimination and taunting at their schools due to their families’
poverty. Parents and children alike have expressed the need for
a primary school within their own community to address issues of
distance, time and safety. Many families whose children are currently
out of school have communicated to Nicaraguan partner, FUNARTE,
that the absence of a local school within their neighbourhood is
a major reason for their children’s absence from school.
The Nicaraguan Ministry of Education has also acknowledged the need
for a primary school in the area but has been unable to provide
resources to support its construction. MINED supports the project,
agrees that there is a strong need for it, and has signed an agreement
with FUNARTE indicating that they will provide teachers, equipment
and materials to the school once it is built.
Location
The neighbourhood, of El Barrio 18 de mayo, is where school construction
will take place. This is a very impoverished one and therefore is
one in which malnutrition, unemployment, temporary informal employment,
illiteracy and children out of school are frequent. Because of its
location within the city, this neighbourhood is one that suffers
most from the frequent heavy rains and flooding that affects the
region.
Partnership
Change for Children is working with Project HOPE, a students group
a MacEwan College in Edmonton. The project HOPE team will travel
to the area in May of 2008 to help with the construction of the
school. For more information about Project HOPE visit: www.macewan.ca/web/services/sa/home/DetailsPage.cfm?ID=2285
PHASE I AND II-COMMUNITY WATER PROJECT – WELLS IN CHINANDEGA
AND LEON, NICARAGUA
Community
Water Project - Phase I Wells for 20 communities in Chinandega and
Leon, Nicaragua
Partners: CENTRO HUMBOLDT
(El Bloque in Phase I)
Beneficiaries: Phase I brought potable
water to 20 communities in the region, Phase II will benefit 50
communities directly benefiting 14,000 people. Phase I began in
2005 and Phase II was approved in December 2006 and will begin upon
completion of environmental assesment.
This very successful project brings potable water
to small communities in three departments of Nicaragua and will,
by the end of Phase II have reached at least 70 communities. By
having access to potable water, these communities where the majority
of people live in poverty, are no longer faced with high incidences
of waterborne disease, which has very positive health outcomes.
Outcomes of the project include improved community health and sanitation,
improved community self-sufficiency and income security and increased
opportunities for women’s participation as women are involved
in community management of the wells drilled.
This project is supported by CIDA funding (Phase
I and II).
Background information
The departments of Leon and Chinandega are in Northwestern Nicaragua
and were the hardest hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. In 2001, while
still struggling to recover from the devastation of the hurricane,
the region was hit by a severe drought, which resulted in the loss
of virtually 100% of agricultural production in the first harvest
cycle of the year. Soil has been degraded by deforestation and cash
crop farming and the water table has largely been contaminated.
Most people who live in the region are sustenance farmers growing
corn, beans, wheat, and sesame. Access to potable water is a major
problem in rural areas and the Nicaraguan government makes little
effort to address this basic need of the population.
PAST PROJECTS
COMMUNITY CENTRE CONSTRUCTION, Esteli Nicaragua
(May 2007)
PARTNERS: FUNARTE and Project HOPE
Beneficiaries: FUNARTE and the children and youth that
benefit from their programming
Student volunteers from Grant MacEwan
college, who make up Project HOPE, fundraise for their projects
and travel to the South to participate in development projects in
partnership with communities. They will travel to Esteli, where
they will help in the construction of a new community centre for
FUNARTE. FUNARTE will use the centre to conduct their cultural,
artistic and human rights programming with children and youth. It
will be used to host workshops with children, youth, educators and
parents and will become a vibrant location for popular education
and community development activities.
This project is supported by the Wild Rose Foundation
Primary
School Construction in Bosawas, NIcaraguaThe primary
school was built in the indigenous community of Pamkawas, on the
Rio Coco in the BOSAWAS Biosphere Reserve. It provided primary school
education for 340 children who are currently not attending school
and an additional 120 that currently attend school in a sub-standard
facility. Primary school education has been the single most important
factor in improving and diversifying opportunities for the chidlren
of Nicaragua-especially in isolated areas like BOSAWAS.
Access to Education in Nicaragua is limited -nationally
only 79 percent of primary-school-age children are enrolled and
this number drops significantly in the Miskito Indigenous communities
to under 45 percent. In addition, the isolation of communities,
causes underdevelopment in curriculum and programming from the Nicaraguan
Department of Education.
COMMUNITY MEDICINE CHEST HERBAL MEDICINE
FOR CURATIVE AND PREVENTATIVE HEALTH- BOSAWAS FOREST RESERVE (end
date 2006)
Community
Medicine Chest - Herbal Medicine for curative and preventative health
in the Bosawas forest reserve, Nicaragua
Partners: Centro Humbolt, APS (Atencion Primaria
en Salud) and ADEPCIMISUJIN (Indigenous Association that represents
the Miskito and Mayangna commuinties in the Reserve)
Centro Humbolt’s mission is to promote territorial
development and environmental management. Its central objective
is to foster holistic community and environmental development by
strengthening scientific capacity and the organizational strengths
of social groups.
Our Medicine Chest Project in BOSAWAS, Nicaragua
has lowered the rates of common diseases in over 25 indigenous communities
in this tropical forest reserve.
The Community Medicine Chest project places emphasis on infant and
child nutrition, on the use of natural medicines, on the distribution
of medicines and on the training of local women in health practices.
This project provides accessible, sustainable basic health care
in 25 remote indigenous communities, developing local capacity by
training health promoters in target communities. It will provide
health manuals in the Miskito and Mayangna languages, medicine,
supplies and medical equipment to each of the communities and it
revolves around restoring knowledge about and use of traditional,
natural medicine www.centrohumbolt.org.ni
This project was supported by CIDA funding
WATER AS A HUMAN RIGHT CAMPAIGN (end date
2006)
Nicaragua has made a committment
to reduce in half by 2015 the percentage of persons who lack access
to water and sanitation,(MDG #10). However since 2000, The Nicaraguan
government has been granting contracts for the modernization of
water and sanitation systems to transnational ompanies even though
there are numerous examples from Argentina, Indonesia and other
countries where research has proven that privatization is not the
solution to increased access to water.
Change for Children and their partner Centro
Humboldt created momentum in the fight against the privatization
of hydrological resources in Nicaragua. Thank you for your support
of this important effort to achieve one of the key MDG's.
LEADERSHIP, SELF-ESTEEM AND HUMAN RIGHTS
WITH YOUTH AND CHILDREN IN ESTELI AND MANAGUA, NICARAGUA (2004-2006)
Leadership,
self-esteem and human rights with youth and children in Esteli and
Managua, Nicaragua
Partners: FUNARTE, INPRHU
INPRHU promotes social change, creating projects
and models for development aimed at transforming social structures,
promoting participatory democracy in Nicaragua and educating about
human rights.
http://www.compasnet.org/espanol/miembros/inprhu.htm
FUNARTE is an innovative organization, based in Esteli
and drawing on the regions long tradition of muralismo. Children
and youth gain self-esteem, learn about human rights and Nicaraguan
history in mural workshops and teachers are trained to bring art
and creativity into the class room.
This project (2004-2006) brought together two of
CFCA’s long term partners in a collaborative effort.
This project provided human rights and self-esteem training to children
and youth in difficult circumstances including youth working on
the street and living in poverty. It applies the understanding that
addressing the self-esteem and self-awareness of these children
and youth will lead the empowerment necessary for them to take a
leadership role in advocating for and protecting their human rights.
The project uses art and creativity as tools to promote learning
about self-esteem and human rights and to give participants the
confidence to become vocal advocates. The project proposes to cross-pollinate
two established and effective programs and extend their reach into
new communities, and to bring the project partners together in a
national Nicaraguan campaign to promote the Rights of the Child.
This project will reach over 2,500 children in Managua and Esteli
and involve inner city youth in Edmonton. Alberta Youth will visit
in 2005 to explore art-therapy and activism through art!
This project is supported by CIDA funding and a grant from the Wild
Rose Foundation
PAJARITO AZUL, NICARAGUA
Other past projects
CFCA has also worked in Nicaragua with: Union of Agricultural Cooperatives
(UCA)
UCA was founded in 1989 to combat the effects of
Hurrican Joan and support small producers on the Island of Ometepe,
Nicaragua. The mandate of the organization is to promote, through
the participatory work of its members, alternatives in agricultural
production which will result in improved income for rural families
in order that they may meet their social necessities and improve
their quality of life.
Change for Children began working with UCA in 1993.
Our first project saw the erection of a building to be used as a
community centre and for agricultural training and capacity-building
workshops. This was followed in 1997 with the Revolving Loan Fund
project which made funds available to small producers, enabling
them to purchase seed and plant their crops without need for bank
credit or for selling their crops as futures for a reduced income.
Our most recent project supported the purchase of a cleaner and
classifier for sesame, the predominant crop on the island, and the
building of a structure to house the machines.
Primary Health Care (APS)
APS’ principal aim is to revolutionize the way health care
is offered in Nicaragua’s poor communities by ensuring its
accessibility, self-sufficiency, and high-quality of care. Since
its inception in 1995, APS has established community-run health
posts and it has offered regular professional consultations in poor
communities throughout Nicaragua. Additionally, it has done a substantial
amount of research into the health care needs of various communities.
In 1997, CFCA supported a APS project, which trained
health promoters and established community health posts in 12 poor
communities in Managua and with our partner communities on the island
of Ometepe. Since that time, APS has continued to expand their programming
to various communities around the country.
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International Projects